There’s something exciting going on at our bird feeders in the winter. Learn about the surprise visitors you might find just outside your window!⁠
 
- by Dena Temple
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This third annual family event encourages novices and experienced kayakers to get out on the city’s waterways for a fun morning afloat.
 
- by Maurice Singleton

Expect to see more giant lighted snowflake ornaments decorating local Live Oak trees this holiday season – with the help of generous donors.
 
- by Maurice Singleton, photos by Ellis Anderson

Leanne Murray and Joel Lawhead, the coaches behind the newly formed Bay St. Louis Running Company, want to take the stress out of working out and get more people moving.
 
- By Lisa Monti

Birds need three things to survive – and if you provide these things, they will come! Here is a primer on food, feeders, and how to create a safe haven for backyard birds.

- by Dena Temple

At the Waveland Ground Zero Hurricane Museum, it will be a year focused on storms and how they affect everything around here: our local culture, our ecology, even our art.

- by John Dumoulin; photos by Ellis Anderson​

Counting shorebirds for an hour may be a nice diversion, but it’s also a building block for global shorebird studies.

– by Dena Temple

September is officially National Suicide Prevention Month, but at the Veterans Administration, every month is Suicide Prevention month.

- by Wendy Sullivan

Although the island itself is currently closed to visitors, the ever-popular Ship Island Excursions offers dolphin-watching and sunset cruises for memorable family experiences.

 - by Wendy Sullivan

One of the fastest-growing sports in the country, pickleball is a hybrid of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. Fast-paced and fun, it's sweeping the nation.

- by Wendy Sullivan
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Created after Hurricane Katrina, BSL’s Depot District duck pond has something for everyone. 

- Story by Wendy Sullivan
​- photos by Wendy Sullivan and Ellis Anderson
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Are you nursing a case of cabin fever? Here is a fun way to get rid of that “Quarantine 15” while enjoying nature and the outdoors close to home.
 
- Story by Dena Temple, photos by Dena and John Temple

With some thought and advance planning, you can prepare for the next big storm and protect what’s most important to you. We've got a complete list of resources to help. 
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 - story by Dena Temple
​photos by Dena Temple and Ellis Anderson

Least Terns are the new celebrity neighbors on Beach Boulevard… but will they be allowed to nest here, or will they be evicted from their chosen home?
 
- Story by Dena Temple

The folks at “Keep Waveland Beautiful” aren’t afraid of big ideas – and they were determined to beautify the Waveland beach, one tree at a time.
 
- Story by Dena Temple
​- Photos by Dena Temple and Valerie Fitts

​Take a quiz to see if you can identify some of the sounds you hear during a nature walk in your neighborhood.
 
- Story by Dena Temple

More campsites, improved trails and an amphitheater are a few of the improvements slated for this hidden gem.
 
– Story and photos by Dena Temple

Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count paints a one-day portrait of bird populations – and you can help!
 
- Story by Dena Temple, photos by Dena and John Temple
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​As gruesome as this sounds to today’s conservationists, this was the standard for the hobby at the turn of the 20th Century.

 
In 1900 Frank M. Chapman, an officer of the fledgling National Audubon Society, organized a new event to counter the sport-killing tradition, calling it the “Holiday Census.” The first census involved 27 counters and 25 count circles, and a total of 90 species of birds were counted. In the winter of 2017-18 a record-breaking 77,000 people participated in the annual Christmas Bird Count, tallying birds in 2,585 count circles, also a record. And roughly one-quarter of all species of birds in the world were tallied, yet another amazing feat!
 
Celebrating its 120th year, the event is still sponsored today by the National Audubon Society. “The Christmas Bird Count is a great tradition and an opportunity to be a part of 120 years of ongoing community science,” said Geoff LeBaron, Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count director, who started leading the community science effort in 1987. “Adding your observations to twelve decades of data helps scientists and conservationists discover trends that make our work more impactful.”

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Here’s how it works: A circular area 15 miles in diameter is defined. This “count circle” is divided into territories, and teams of volunteers scour those territories and count every bird they see or hear. Common or rare, every single bird is important on the Christmas Bird Count!
 
After spending an invigorating day scanning fields, ponds and beaches, the teams get together for a “roundup” to compare notes, brag about interesting finds and commiserate about “the ones that got away.” It’s a great way to meet people who share your interest in the outdoors, and maybe learn a little something in the process.

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There are 20 count circles in the state of Mississippi, including one in our immediate area, the Southern Hancock County circle. Counters have been tallying birds in this territory since 1976. In 2018, the 32 counters in the Southern Hancock count circle tallied 142 species of birds over the course of the count day – very impressive!
 
Participation is fun, and free. Birders with intermediate or better identification skills are particularly welcome. Beginners are usually paired with a more experienced participant, so you don’t need to be intimately familiar with your territory in order to enjoy the event.
 

 
This year, the Southern Hancock County CBC will be held on Tuesday, December 17. If you would like more information, contact the compiler, Ned Boyajian, at nedrbo@gmail.com.

After the Bonne Carré Spillway opening closed Mississippi beaches for three months this year, statewide opposition grows against a plan to make diversions permanent. 

- by Lisa Monti

 George Cavignac, executive director of nonprofit Gulf Coast Resource Coalition, told the Bay city council the plan is currently in the Corps of Engineers permitting process and is being fast-tracked. He called it an impending crisis.

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“The time to act is now,” he said. “This is something that literally will wipe out the culture that is Southeast Louisiana and South Mississippi and our recreational and commercial fishing industries and tourism. It’s definitely worth fighting for."
 
The push in Hancock County to oppose the river diversion effort comes just days after Mississippi’s beaches were cleared for swimming. They were closed by the state Department of Environmental Quality because of toxic algal resulting from the opening of the Bonne Carre spillway for 123 days this year.
 
The spillway released 10 trillion gallons of Mississippi River water which GCRC says inundated Mississippi’s coastal waters, causing massive harm to the economy, fisheries and marine mammal population.
 
The proposed Mid-Breton Project is designed to release 33 million gallons of Mississippi River water per minute, though the amount can vary. The minimum flow would be 5,000 CFS (cubic feet per second) - which is 2,250,000 gallons per minute.

 
Mid-Breton backers have taken a couple of legislative moves to give the project a better chance of getting approval, but that would negatively impact marine life. Cavignac said the Louisiana group got a waiver to the Marine Mammal Protection Act passed and is now trying to amend a bill to remove the essential fish habitat environmental review that is part of the required environmental review.
 
“The project can’t sustain an environmental review. If it can’t pass the environmental impact study process, they need to either not do it or mitigate for the fisheries and tourism dollars. That would drive project out of its price range,” he said.
 
One councilman called Cavignac’s presentation “very informative and alarming.” The council voted unanimously to ask the state Congressional delegation to oppose the project and to ask the governor to oppose the issuance of a federal permit to construct the project. The Hancock supervisors took similar steps at their meeting.
 
Wendy McDonald, a candidate for Mississippi House District 122, lists opposition to the diversion plans as her number one priority in Jackson. She told the Shoofly Magazine, “We celebrate the reopening of the beaches but we’re going to have to work to keep them that way. It’s going to take all of us pulling together.”
 
For more information, go to https://gulfcoastresource.org.

There are many Fido-friendly establishments in Bay St. Louis - and we've compiled a comprehensive list for our furry friends.

- story by Denise Jacobs
​

 While Mississippi coast is not known for its dog-friendly beaches, the beaches of Bay St. Louis and Waveland are an exception to the rule. Enjoy your romp in the water. Then, when surf time is over and Rover has shaken the salt from his coat, simply snap a leash on your canine companion and enjoy a walk along our sandy beaches, where dogs are welcome, day or night.
 
When you’ve exhausted the surf and sand, and your ice bucket is empty, head into town for some refreshment, and bring Fido along.
 

 
At the Mockingbird Café, a favorite watering hole at 110 Second Street, guests can enjoy Coast Roast coffee specialties, extraordinary biscuits, the award-winning Mockingburger, or hearty pub fare — all on the shady outdoor wrap-around porch and patio. Dogs are also welcome in the outdoor stage area, home of the Atticus Finch Night Market, nestled between the Mockingbird Café and Smith & Lens.
 

The back patio at the Parrot Head Bar & Grill (inside Bodega at 111 Court Street), where beloved chef Rickey Peters serves up Cajun favorites, is another favorite hangout you can share with your pooch.  Pop Brothers (111 Main Street), the go-to place for gourmet popsicles, even makes pops for pups.

The Buttercup on Second Street (112 North Second Street), the popular local breakfast/lunch eatery, welcomes dogs on the porch and patio, and your server is always happy to bring a bowl of fresh water for Fido. At 200 North Beach, patrons can enjoy food, drinks, and a beach view while dining with their dog on the deck.
 

The motto of the historic Sycamore House Restaurant (210 Main Street) is “Come casual, we supply the elegance.” “Casual” includes your dog at this fine dining establishment if you sit on their oak-shaded patio in back, where you can order up gourmet pizza.
 
Lulu’s on Main (126 Main Street) is a breakfast and lunch spot with a large screened-in side porch that welcomes dogs; The Ugly Pirate (144 DeMontluzin Avenue) and The Blind Tiger (119 North Beach) are also dog-friendly, with outdoor seating and, at The Blind Tiger, a lovely marina view.
 

When in doubt about a shop’s openness to dogs, it is best to poke your head inside and ask if it’s alright to bring your dog inside. In my experience as a dog owner here in the Bay, most shops try to accommodate.
 
In fact, while shopping for antiques, art, home decor, apparel, or gifts, beachcombers and landlubbers alike will most likely be pleasantly surprised by the welcome their four-legged friends receive.
 
Gallery 220 (220 Main Street), keeps a full bowl of fresh water on hand for the pooches. If you’re lucky, Egypt, the shop dog at California Drawstrings (216 Main Street), may greet you at the door. In December, California Drawstrings offers photos with Santa and your dog as a benefit for the Hancock County Animal Shelter.

​Just across the street, The French Potager (213 Main Street) welcomes pups, while at Social Chair (201 Main Street), doggie treats are kept behind the counter and shared with canine customers.  Magnolia Antiques (200 Main Street) is dog-friendly, with two local dogs and their owner dropping in each day to visit, making their daily Old Town rounds. 

Thirsty pups can always count on a bowl of fresh water at The Shops at Century Hall, 112 South Second Street. Janice Guido, shopkeeper at Bay Life Gifts, is one of several pet-loving proprietors within Century Hall with two shelter cats at home. JoAnn Saucier, The Porch, also at Century Hall, owns four shelter puppies.
 
“We love our pets at Century Hall,” she says.
  
Bay Town Inn (208 North Beach Blvd.) comes highly recommended as a dog-friendly place to stay. The realtors at H. L. Raymond Properties, 529 Ulman Avenue, let dogs weigh-in on the properties considered by prospective buyers (owner/broker Holly Lemoine Raymond is known for her work on behalf of the Hancock Animal Shelter).
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Bay Hide Away RV Park and Campground, 8360 Lakeshore Road, recently installed a fenced-in dog park for its campers.
 
Not everyone appreciates the dog-friendly trend. With that in mind, I include this Chicago Tribune article for the rules it provides for shopping with Fido. Good behavior can be a dog-lover’s best defense.
 
One of the best pieces of advice I ever found on the topic of dogs in traditionally human spaces — source long forgotten — is to always remind our pets to keep their voices down while talking on cell phones.